Travel Days 3-4

By day three things began to devolve into a bit of a blur. Staying out until well past midnight, coupled with fairly early get-ups, coupled with 9 hours of jet lag to adjust to, all resulted in this state of mind or lack thereof. Not much worth noting occurred on day 3. Work, dinner, soccer games, drinks. A rinse and repeat from the two days before pretty much.

Day 4 was a big day for me, the US, and for Germany. It was the final game of group play in the world cup for both teams and would determine who would get to keep playing and who would go home. Fortunately for the US, it was going to take some significantly bad things to occur to get eliminated. They could lose the game, as long as it wasn't by a lot, and still be fine.

On the downside, we had to work until 5, then nearly an hour train ride and walk back to the city center and our hotel, and the game started at 6. We got back to the hotel just in time for a quick change of clothes before kickoff. I figured we'd be ok watching the game from the hotel, because who would want to watch such a big game in their hotel bar?? Well, I should know better because I know how unadventurous most people are. Unfortunately the viewing area was packed full of people with nowhere to sit and not even anywhere to stand and watch.  There was an area in the bar set up with a TV but the space was limited and filling up. We did manage to snag a standing room only area, got a couple drinks, and watched the US get totally dominated by zee Germans, but they held on to lose only 1-0 and advance.

After the game it was time for food so we headed out. One of my favorite German customs is after big soccer matches people go out into the streets and block off intersections, while others drive around on the main streets hanging out of car windows and flying flags and honking their horns.  It's pretty funny. Here are a few images I took, but you really have to be there to fully appreciate it.

Dinner wasn't really worth noting, but we got some food then stopped at another drinking establishment for another beer then headed back to the hotel. When we got back to the bar for a nightcap we were amused for a little while by a group of 4 upper middle aged people trying to dance. The two guys were classic stiff Germans incapable of having fun. I'm sure I would have looked pretty much the same on the dance floor. Of the two women, one I would have admitted to a mental institution based solely upon her performance on the floor. The other couldn't dance but was having fun, so more power to her! I named her Elaine. Here's a crappy photo of the dimly lit bar dance floor.